Troubled waters ahead for Labor's WA rock lobster market intervention

By Nathan Hondros & Lauren Pilat

The state government is facing stiff opposition from professional rock lobster fishers as it attempts to push through a plan to hand itself a 17 per cent commercial stake in the industry.

Fisheries Minister Dave Kelly announced the shake-up of WA's rock lobster fishery in the lead-up to Christmas, which included a 1700 tonne increase in the amount of the delicacy to be fished, with 1385 tonnes to be owned by the government.

A storm is brewing for the state government over its plan to hand itself part of WA's rock lobster fishery.Credit:Eddie Jim

Mr Kelly promised the new fishing units the government would grant itself would lead to the creation of 500 WA jobs and "significantly increase the supply of lobsters into the local market".

But the Western Rock Lobster Council (WRLC) has slammed the plan, which some industry participants described as a part-socialisation of the fishery.

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Mr Kelly said the proportion of the fishery which would be owned by the state would be fished "for the benefit of the community" and would "improve revenue to the state government".

Only about 80 per cent of the sustainable catch is currently fished.

"The government will take ownership of 1385 tonnes of the total allowable commercial catch and this is something our fishery has never seen before," WRLC chairman Kim Colero said.

"For generations, our fishers have been the custodians of a sustainable and iconic industry which has made an important economic and social contribution for all Western Australians."

WRLC's chief executive Matt Taylor told Jane Marwick on 6PR's Mornings program the industry had negotiated down the government's initial proposal of a 2000-tonne ownership stake in the fishery.

"We moved them a little way from where they started but it was all on the basis that it was going to be taken to consultation," he said.

"On the fourth week the minister said he was going to announce the policy and there was going to be no allowance for industry consultation."

Mr Taylor said the WRLC signed a non-binding term sheet outlining the changes under duress to avoid a worse outcome.

But Mr Kelly said the resource was already owned by the state.

"Part of the fishery will be used, not just for export, but for financial return for the state to buy more schools, fund more hospitals but also boost tourism and local hospitality jobs," he said.

"All we're trying to do is create more local jobs.

"The management change that’s required is now out for public consultation until January 18."

In December, Mr Kelly said in a written statement the new policy would align to the WRLC's ambition of increasing the gross value of production to more than $1 billion by 2028.

"I appreciate that the existing fishers would prefer to be granted free ownership of the additional 1700 tonnes of commercial lobster catch," he said.

"However, this is a community-owned resource. Sharing the new tonnage — 315 to existing fishers and 1385 to the state government on behalf of the Western Australian people — is a fair result."

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Rock lobster fisherman and processor Michael Thompson, who owns the Lobster Shack in Cervantes, told WAtoday he feared the increase in fishing may not be sustainable.

"He [Mr Kelly] just realised that this industry was making a lot of money, too few people are sharing in this resource, the government needs more of it," he said.

"Because of the laws that underwrite fishing stocks in Australia and New Zealand, or any Commonwealth country, it means that it's a taxpayer-owned asset.

"They want to take an ownership in this industry; it would be like walking up to BHP and saying 'we want 17 percent of your business'.

"We're an easy target because there’s probably only about 2000 people in the state who own pots."

Premier Mark McGowan said last month the plan would ensure "there's an allocation for local restaurants, local supermarkets and local fish shops so West Australians can go to the shops and buy rock lobsters at a more affordable price".

The state government policy also included a budget allocation of $27.5 million over the next five years to develop the industry and establish an Institute for Spiny Lobster Research.